


On a Day in Spring

by Melinaa



Series: All the Seasons [3]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Bad Science Jokes, F/M, Just to be safe, Mentions of alcohol, SO, Science, Spring, but actually it's not that sad, but then again the ending is on a sadder note, it's happier than the last one, just go ahead, slightly jealous Dimitri, this is probably the happiest part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 16:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17770376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melinaa/pseuds/Melinaa
Summary: "Time is just such a difficult concept to grasp.” With that, I could agree once more. You looked at me and grinned awkwardly. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m crazy.”I smiled and shook my head. “No, no, I don’t think so. Don’t you have to think differently if you want to change something as a researcher? Thinking in directions no one has thought before?”“Yes.” You grinned. “That’s why I’m sitting under an apple tree. I heard the best ideas come from there!”





	On a Day in Spring

On a Day in Spring 

 

Moods lightened all around the university once the winter set out on retreat. The days became longer, brighter, warmer, the birds started to sing. And exams were over.

Still, I met you in the library as often as last semester. But you didn’t look so stressed out anymore. Calmer. As if you were slowly getting the hang of how life at university was going. It had its completely own pace. Time would pass too slowly and too quickly at the same time. It was nothing new for me as I had already been here for a bit longer than you. But I was happy seeing you adapt.

Although I often saw you in the library, we didn’t see each other as many times as we had during last semester. Due to me, I have to say, because I was often gone on excursions and trips to museums or excavations sites whose visits belonged to my curriculum just as writing reports, sitting in lectures and studying. This semester, it was me who slowly lost their head over too many books and papers and eventually their bachelor thesis.

But it was fun. I loved what I did and wondered how I could ever have found it boring. Randall had been right, after all. Archaeology could be fun. And exciting. I didn’t think about him often but when I did, I tried to think of happy memories. Not of our last trip during spring all those years ago.

When I felt the dark thoughts threatening to grasp for me, I thought of you. Thinking of you always lightened my mood.

I hoped you liked your studies as much as I did.

Based on your eagerness to study and the excitement in your voice when I heard you talk about physics or mechanics, I thought _, Yes, Yes, she must love it_.

 

My assumptions were proved correct a year later after I had finally mustered the courage to talk to you last autumn. When your studies could afford it, you preferred studying outside on warm days. You told me you loved spring. Actually, you loved every season, just for different reasons.

You liked spring particularly because of the new life it brought. That this was the time when new life would be created by nature.

“Time is something fascinating, don’t you think? How it passes differently for every person. Time passed quickly for me today, I barely know where it went. As for another person, maybe this one over there,” you pointed at a young woman sitting on a bench drinking a cup of tea, “had quite a boring day and while I am already sitting here, she might still be stuck in her lecture.”

I didn’t quite grasp what you meant, and you struggled to explain. “It’s just how time passes differently for everyone. While an hour passes quickly for one doesn’t mean it has to pass as quickly for the person sitting next to them. You understand?”

“But after one hour both of them are still in the same place. None of them is “further” in time or… whatever this would be called,” I replied. I didn’t feel dumb as one would have guessed. I loved discussing with you, whether it was about physics or archaeology or any other subject. Your thinking was different and the same at the right places.

“Of course, they aren’t but… argh. I’m really bad at explaining, sorry. Time is just such a difficult concept to grasp.” With that, I could agree once more. You looked at me and grinned awkwardly. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m crazy.”

I smiled and shook my head. “No, no, I don’t think so. Don’t you have to think differently if you want to change something? Thinking in directions no one has thought before?”

“Yes.” You grinned. “That’s why I’m sitting under an apple tree. I heard the best ideas come from there!”

I looked up and, yes, it was indeed an apple tree we were sitting under. I turned my gaze to you and rose and eyebrow. You laughed and shoved my shoulder. “Stop looking at me so critically, you can never know if an apple will fall onto my head and give me _the_ idea for my breakthrough in science! I could also do what others already did and expect a different result, but that would be insane.”

I couldn’t contain myself, I started to laugh and couldn’t stop. You joined me soon after and we ignored the gazes of the other students walking by, and for the first time in long I was able to forget what had happened all those springs ago deep down in the ruins of Akbadain.

 

So many things changed over the next year but the spot under the apple tree remained your favourite spot and was slowly becoming mine as well.

I was a bit surprised that we still managed to spend so much time together. It had been critical last year when I had finished my studies and had been working on my bachelor thesis, but it seemed to be less of a problem to you. I was relieved that you weren’t as stressed out as you had been when you had first started studying three years ago even though it was about your bachelor thesis now. You weren’t as worried as I had been about mine. We both knew you would achieve it in the end. Even though no apple had fallen onto your head. I was glad. I mean, you could have been hurt!

Although you were normally absorbed in your studies, you were lying in the grass and enjoying one of the first warmer days of this year today. “I need a break,” you had simply stated when I had asked you earlier and smiled. “I can’t always study. I did that during my first semester and barely knew whether I was coming or going. Not going to do that again. Besides, I now have someone who helps me.”

You didn’t mean me though I would always provide you with coffee and food because you tended to forget these essential things so easily.

“I have a feeling Dimitri doesn’t like me,” I shared my concern with you. Since you had had that internship at one of the university’s labs last year you had stayed in contact with one of its scientists. Dimitri surely was nice, but I always felt like he wasn't fond me.

“You’re imagining things, Hershel, don’t worry. He’s just stressed out because he’s working on his master thesis at the moment. I’m sure I will be the same in two years,” you reassured me before you looked up. “Tell me about it. What is the master’s degree like? Have the lectures become harder?”

I still had a year to go before I would be so far to actually do my degree but a year further than you. “It’s not that different to be honest. Less lectures but they tend to be longer. More self-study, more time spent in the library,” I replied.

“Not that you're already spending more time in the library than at home…,” you interjected and sat up, grinning cheekily. I could only shake my head and chuckle. You sure always had a teasing remark. I liked that.

You leaned forward and kissed me. I liked that, too.

 

“My parents would like to invite us over for a few weeks this summer,” I told you on a sunny day early the next spring. You were thrilled upon hearing this and made me inform my parents immediately that we would love to come.

 

“I did it, Hershel! I got my bachelor’s degree!” You practically leaped at me this very day weeks later after you had gotten your result. I picked you up and spun you around, both of us laughing and ignoring the funny looks of passing students.

“Congratulations,” I whispered into your ear before I finally put you back to the ground, but I wouldn’t let go. You were bouncing with joy and excitement and couldn’t hold still, not even when you kissed me overjoyedly. I laughed when I asked you what you would like to do with all the free time now, and even more when you almost panicked and said you didn’t know.

I took your hand in mine and pulled you with me. “You have to tell Dimitri. I’m sure he wants to know. And your parents. I have to tell my parents. They all will be so proud, Claire!” I was almost as excited as you were.

Dimitri wasn’t any less excited and immediately invited you for going out tonight to celebrate. I rose both eyebrows when you looked at me askingly. “Please, just go! You don’t have to ask!”

When Dimitri brought you to me, I was surprised because you didn’t live with me. But you were tipsy and laughing and flung your arms around me as if it was the funniest thing in the world. I had never seen you drunk before, not even a little, but it sure was an amusing view. He handed me your shoes and apologised for the disturbance and said that you had refused to go home, so he brought you to me. I thanked him and tried to hide my grin the next morning when you woke up with a severe headache and a “I'm never gonna touch alcohol again.” But you were still happy, and a carefree time began when none of us had to worry about studying for a few weeks.

 

It was also a day in spring when we finally moved together.

 

And it was a day in spring when Luke had to leave me, years later, after we had said goodbye a second time, and a day in spring when he came back with this tiny crying bundle in his arms, I took in to care for. She had blue eyes and her hair had a tinge of red and it would be so easy imagine that she was yours. But I didn’t because I knew she wasn’t. And this knowledge was what helped me to start over.

 

That was all that was to it and I found myself thinking that the spring really is a metaphor for the beginning of something new, something wonderful like you had always said.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy early Valentine's Day and 12th Anniversary of the Professor Layton series!  
> I wrote this piece, as well as the other pieces of this series (except "On a Day in Autumn") for the celebration of the anniversary for the PL Amino but I thought I'd post it here as well.  
> I hope you like it! I’m truly sorry for every kind of mistakes that might occur. 
> 
> Melina


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